Research Videos
The Harvard Law School Library Research Videos series is produced by the library's reference department in conjunction with HLS Media Services for use in the law school's First Year Lawyering (FYL) program. The videos introduce print-format legal research tools and methods and are designed to supplement FYL legal research workshops where the focus is on online legal research.
RealNetwork player or compatible software is required for video playback. The videos are also available for viewing in VHS format in the library's media collection located in the Microform Room in Langdell Hall on 2 north.
Please contact the Langdell reference desk, (617) 495-4516, located just off the reading room on the fourth floor of Langdell Hall with any questions.
Secondary Sources
Secondary Sources
Secondary sources are those materials that explain, analyze and interpret the law. This video focuses on four major
categories of secondary sources: legal encyclopedias, annotation services,
legal treatises, and law reviews; and discusses how each best fits into a research
strategy.
Credits:
Written by Elizabeth Lambert and Paul George
Presented by Elizabeth Lambert
Produced by Roy Crandall, Fall 2002
Production Assistant Michele Gielis
Length 8:58 minutes
West Digest System
West Digest System
A digest organizes case law into detailed subject or topical outlines. A
digest may cover the case law of a jurisdiction, a single court or even
an area of practice. This video shows you how to use the West
Digest System of topics, key numbers, and headnotes to locate case law on a particular legal issue.
Credits:
Written by Paul George and Deanna Barmakian
Presented by Deanna Barmakian
Produced by Roy Crandall, Fall 2001
Production Assistant Michele Gielis
Length 7:40 minutes
Statutes
Statutes
The two basic forms of the published statutory law of the United States
are session laws and codes.
This video examines the relationship between these
two forms and demonstrates how to trace changes in a statute's language
and how to update a statute to ensure it is still good law. You will also see how annotated codes connect statutes to the judicial opinions and secondary legal
sources that discuss and interpret them.
Credits:
Written by Terry L. Swanlund and Deanna Barmakian
Presented by Deanna Barmakian
Produced by Roy Crandall, Fall 2002
Production Assistant Michele Gielis
Length 10:39 minutes